Chip-based gaming

ABSTRACT

Chip-Based Gaming includes methods for playing electronic games of chance or skill that provide players with a greater number of options and greater wagering flexibility than previous methods have afforded them. In the present Chip-Based gaming model, players may select virtual betting chips from an onscreen palette and apply those chips to various wagering opportunities throughout a game. Using this model, players are able to make individual bets on each of a slot machine&#39;s paylines or wager on making specific hands in Video Poker. Players are also able to buy and/or wager on symbol “nudges” and to buy symbol “re-spins” within a multi-line slot machine, options which provide the player with a much richer, more flexible gaming experience than he or she had heretofore enjoyed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) ofprovisional application Ser. No. 60/758,509, filed Jan. 11, 2006, whichapplication is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety.

1. Field of the Invention

The present inventions relate generally to the field of regulated paycomputer-controlled games, either games of skills or games of chance.

2. Description of the Prior Art and Related Information

Existing models for betting within electronic games of chance such asvideo poker or multi-line slot machines are limited, as players areconventionally only offered high-level bets that apply across a numberof potential onscreen events in each game. This betting model applies tomulti-line slot machines, in that players are conventionally able tomanipulate their bet sizes globally, across a number of pay lines, butare unable to assign specific bet sizes to each payline or to selectedindividual pay lines. This conventional betting model also applies tomost video poker machines, in that players are able to manipulate theirbet sizes across a number of potential reward-generating hands, but arenot able to assign specific bets to specific hands.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention that incorporate the presentChip-Based Gaming model give players a greater number of choices and agreater degree of flexibility than do conventional betting models.According to embodiments of the present invention, games, gaming methodsand gaming machines that incorporate the present Chip-Based Gaming Modelmay advantageously include a “Chip Palette,” which may be displayed asan onscreen menu that allows players to select betting chips of varyingdenomination and then apply those bets to a variety of selected onscreenfeatures.

Using the present Chip Palette, a slot machine player may assignseparate bets to each individual payline or to more than one individualpayline on a multi-line slot machine, an innovation that allows playersto pick which pay lines they play and to weigh their payline betsdifferently. Since some multi-line slot machines have over one hundredpay lines, this feature empowers players to radically tailor theirgaming experience. Moreover, using the present Chip Palette, amulti-line slot machine player may not only decide when he or she wantsto “re-spin” a symbol, he or she may also decide how much to bet thatthe re-spin will result in a winning payline. Players of games of chanceincorporating embodiments of the present invention may also purchase aHold-Down chip or a Nudge chip to further affect game play. The playermay also use the “Buy Symbols to Replace Those You Don't Like” feature.This feature allows the player to further wager on nearly-winning paylines by buying an opportunity to replace an unwanted symbol with a newsymbol that may make the previously nearly winning payline into awinning one.

Using the present Chip Palette, a video poker player may place an extrawager on various reward generating hands, such as a full house or threeof a kind, thereby increasing his award if he is dealt the hand on whichhe wagered. The present Chip Palette may also be advantageously used inother games of chance, as will be evident from the description below.

According to an embodiment thereof, the present invention is a method ofwagering within an electronic game of chance that is configured todisplay a plurality of wagering opportunities. The method may includesteps of displaying betting chips of differing predetermineddenominations; accepting, from a player of the game of chance, aselection of at least one of the displayed betting chips, and enablingthe player to apply the selected at least one of the betting chips to atleast one of the plurality of displayed wagering opportunities tocomplete a wager.

The method may, according to further embodiments, include a step ofgrouping the displayed betting chips together by denomination to form achip palette. The accepting step may be carried out by detecting when aplayer touches the selected betting chip(s). The enabling step may becarried out by enabling the player to touch one or more of the pluralityof displayed wagering opportunities to associate the selected gamingchip(s) with the touched wagering opportunity or opportunities. Thedisplayed plurality of wagering opportunities may include pay lines on adisplayed multi-line slot machine. The enabling step may enable theplayer to apply the selected betting chip(s) to selected ones of the paylines of the displayed multi-line slot machine. The displayed pluralityof wagering opportunities may include reward generating hands in adisplayed electronic poker game, and the enabling step may enable theplayer to apply the selected betting chip(s) to selected ones of thereward generating hands of the displayed electronic poker game. Thedisplayed plurality of wagering opportunities may includerepresentations of events that may occur in the future within theelectronic game of chance.

According to another embodiment thereof, the present invention is amethod of enabling a player to play an electronic game of chance, theelectronic game of chance being configured to display a symbol layoutthat may include a plurality of symbols. Such a method may include stepsof displaying a plurality of betting chips of predetermineddenominations to form a displayed chip palette; enabling the player toselect at least one betting chip of the displayed chip palette; enablingthe player to apply at least one of the selected betting chips to atleast one selected symbol of the displayed symbol layout; manipulatingthe displayed symbol layout; displaying the manipulated symbol layout,and rewarding the player if the displayed manipulated symbol layout mayinclude a reward-generating outcome.

The symbol layout manipulating step may include changing a previousrandom placement of the symbols in the displayed symbol layout. Themanipulating step may include keeping at least one player selectedsymbol unchanged and manipulating at least one remaining symbol of thesymbol layout. The chip palette may include a re-spin betting chip andthe electronic game of chance may include a slot machine having aplurality of reels. The method further may include a step of enablingthe player to place the re-spin betting chip on a selected reel, there-spin betting chip affording the player an opportunity to re-spin allthe symbols on the selected reel. The chip palette may include ahold-down betting chip, the electronic game of chance may include a slotmachine having a plurality of reels and the method further may include astep of enabling the player to place the hold-down chip on at least oneselected reel, the hold-down chip affording the player an opportunity tohold-down all the symbols on the selected reel and to re-spin thesymbols on all other reels. The manipulating step may include moving oneor more symbols within a reel. The chip palette may include a nudge chipand the electronic game of chance may include a slot machine having aplurality of reels. The method further may include a step of enablingthe player to place the nudge chip on a selected reel, the nudge chipaffording the player an opportunity to move any symbol up or down oneposition within its reel. The symbol layout may be a result of a randomdeal in an electronic poker game. The manipulating step may includeholding one or more cards after an initial draw and performing anadditional draw. The applied betting chips may be displayed, forexample, until it is determined whether the player is rewarded.

According to a still further embodiment, the present invention is amethod of enabling a player to place wagers in an electronic game ofchance. The method may include steps of providing and displaying apalette of betting chips, the palette of betting chips including aplurality of individually player-selectable betting chips of a pluralityof different predetermined denominations; accepting from a player afirst selection of a first betting chip from the palette of bettingchips, the first betting chip being of a first denomination of theplurality of different denominations; accepting from the player a firstwager on a future occurrence of a first event in the game of chanceusing the selected first betting chip of the first denomination;accepting from the player a second selection of a second betting chipfrom the palette of betting chips, the second betting chip being of asecond denomination of the plurality of different denominations that isdifferent from the first denomination; accepting from the player asecond wager on a future occurrence of a second event in the game ofchance using the selected second betting chip of the seconddenomination; determining an outcome of the game of chance, andrewarding the player according to the first wager if the determinedoutcome may include the first event and rewarding the player accordingto the second wager if the determined outcome may include the secondevent.

The game of chance may include a multi-line slot machine having aplurality of reels each having a plurality of symbols thereon thatcollectively define a plurality of pay lines and the first and secondwager accepting steps may include accepting different wagers ondifferent ones of the plurality of pay lines of the slot machine. Thepalette of betting chips may include a player-selectable betting chipthat is configured to keep a selected one of the plurality of symbolsunchanged during the outcome determining step. The palette of bettingchips may include a player-selectable betting chip that is configured toenable the player to re-spin a selected one of the plurality of reelswhile others of the plurality of reels remain stationary during theoutcome determining step. The palette of betting chips may include aplayer-selectable betting chip that is configured to hold-down all thesymbols on a selected one of the plurality of reels stationary and tore-spin the symbols on all other reels during the outcome determiningstep. The palette of betting chips may include a player-selectablebetting chip that is configured to move any symbol up or down oneposition within its reel during the outcome determining step. The gameof chance may be or may include, for example, electronic poker and theoutcome determining step may include a random deal. The method mayfurther include a step of dynamically configuring the palette of bettingchips in the providing and displaying step depending upon the game ofchance and a state of game play. The first and second occurrences in thefirst and second wager accepting steps may include possible futureoccurrences within a scripted narrative-based game of chance.

The present invention may also be viewed as a method of wagering in anelectronic game of chance, including steps of selecting a first bettingchip from a displayed palette of betting chips, the first betting chipbeing of a first denomination of the plurality of differentdenominations; placing a first wager on a future occurrence of a firstevent in the game of chance using the selected first betting chip of thefirst denomination; selecting a second betting chip from the palette ofbetting chips, the second betting chip being of a second denomination ofthe plurality of different denominations that is different from thefirst denomination; placing a second wager on a future occurrence of asecond event in the game of chance using the selected second bettingchip of the second denomination; causing an outcome of the game ofchance to be determined, and receiving a first reward according to thefirst wager if the determined outcome may include the first event andreceiving a second reward according to the second wager if thedetermined outcome may include the second event.

The game of chance may include a multi-line slot machine having aplurality of reels each having a plurality of symbols thereon thatcollectively define a plurality of pay lines and the first and secondwager placing steps may include placing different wagers on differentones of the plurality of pay lines of the slot machine. The palette ofbetting chips may include a player-selectable hold-down betting chipthat is configured to keep a selected one of the plurality of symbolsunchanged when the outcome of the electronic game of chance isdetermined and the selected first betting chip in the first placing stepis the hold-down betting chip. The palette of betting chips may includea player-selectable re-spin betting chip that is configured to enablethe player to re-spin a selected one of the plurality of reels whileothers of the plurality of reels remain stationary when the outcome ofthe electronic game of chance is determined and the selected firstbetting chip in the first placing step is the re-spin betting chip. Thepalette of betting chips may include a player-selectable nudge bettingchip that is configured to move any symbol up or down one positionwithin its reel when the outcome of the electronic game of chance isdetermined and the selected first betting chip in the first placing stepis the nudge betting chip. The game of chance may be or may includeelectronic poker and the outcome determining step may include a randomdeal. The method may also include a step of dynamically configuring thepalette of betting chips in the providing and displaying step dependingupon the game of chance and a state of game play. The first and secondoccurrences in the first and second wager accepting steps may includepossible future occurrences within a scripted narrative-based game ofchance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 introduces Chip-Based Gaming and the “Chip Palette,” according toembodiments of the present invention. FIG. 1 also depicts someillustrative and exemplary games in which the present Chip Palette maybe applied to great advantage.

FIG. 2 illustrates the manner in which conventional multi-line slotmachines weigh each payline evenly.

FIG. 3 shows the manner in which the present Chip Palette may be used tobet on individual pay lines of a multi-line slot machine, according toan embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4A illustrates aspects of a conventional multi-line slot machine.

FIG. 4B illustrates further aspects of the present Chip-Based Model,according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates how, in conventional slot machines, near-winning paylines generate no greater excitement, reward, or betting opportunitiesthan do clearly losing pay lines.

FIG. 6 illustrates how the present Chip Palette may be used in the “Buya Symbol to Replace Those You Don't Like” feature, according to anotherembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates how the “Chip-Based Nudge” grants players theopportunity to replace losing symbols with adjacent symbols to createwinning pay lines, according to a further embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 8 illustrates how betting is typically handled in conventionalvideo poker games.

FIG. 9 demonstrates how betting may be handled in a Chip-Based videopoker game, according to still further embodiments of the presentinvention.

FIG. 10 illustrates how Chip-Based Gaming may be used in cutting edgeelectronic games of chance, according to further embodiments of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of theinvention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form apart hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specificexemplary embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. Theseembodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilledin the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood thatother embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical,electrical and other changes may be made without departing from thespirit or scope of the present invention. The following detaileddescription is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and thescope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims.

FIG. 1 introduces the concepts of Chip-Based Gaming and the “ChipPalette.” 102. FIG. 1 also illustrates some exemplary games in which theChip-Based Gaming Model may be applied. These examples include (but arenot limited to) video poker 104, multi-line slot machines 106, andnewer, cutting edge electronic games of chance such as shown atreference numeral 108 and disclosed in co-pending and commonly assignedUS provisional application entitled “Multi-Act Style Electronic Game”Ser. No. 60/738,812 filed on Nov. 22, 2005, the disclosure of which ishereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Prior art FIG. 2 depicts three sample slot machine displays thatcollectively illustrate how player bets are spread evenly across paylines in conventional multi-line electronic slot machines. The top-mostdrawing in FIG. 2 shows a player betting three nickels 204 on a machinewith a maximum of three pay lines, as shown at 202. To do so, the playerapplies one nickel to each of three separate pay lines, thereby evenlyspreading his or her bets across available pay lines. The middle drawingin FIG. 2 illustrates the situation in which a player bets five quarters208 on a gaming machine with five pay lines, as shown at 206. To dothis, the player applies one quarter to each of the five pay lines. Thebottom drawing in FIG. 2 shows a player betting one hundred quarters 212on a gaming machine with five separate pay lines, as shown at 210. To doso, the player may place ten quarters on each of the five pay lines,which is equivalent to five separate bets of five dollars each, or $25spread evenly across all available pay lines. Collectively, the drawingsof FIG. 2 demonstrate that, in the conventional multi-line slot model,players may activate more pay lines or increase the size of their betglobally, but may not apply different-sized bets to different pay lineswithin a same gaming machine.

FIG. 3 depicts both an exemplary “Chip Palette” 102 and a sample displayscreen 304 from a Chip-Based Slot Machine. Note that the slot machinesymbols (oranges, cherries, etc.) have been omitted from the displayscreen 304 for clarity of illustration. The Chip Palette 102, accordingto an embodiment thereof, may include an onscreen menu that may containa series of betting chips of different denominations. In the exemplaryembodiment shown in FIG. 3, the Chip Palette 102 includes betting chipshaving denominations of 5¢, 10¢, 25¢, $1, $5 and $10, although othercombinations are possible. Players may utilize the Chip Palette 102 toselect a bet size and then apply (e.g., drag and drop) that bet to avariety of onscreen features including but not limited to pay lines,re-spins, and nudges, as detailed herein below. As shown in the bottomdrawing of FIG. 3, players may take betting chips of differentdenominations from the Chip Palette 102 (using a pointing device 303,for example) and apply selected betting chips from the Chip Palette 102to separate and player selected pay lines on a Chip-Based Slot Machine.For example and as shown in the bottom drawing of FIG. 3, the player maytake three quarters from the Chip Palette 102 and place them on thepayline 306 and may take one five dollar chip from the Chip Palette 102and place that chip on payline 308. This innovation gives players theability to 1) bet on only those pay lines on which they want to play and2) weigh their individual pay lines bets differently than others, ifthey wish to do so. According to one embodiment of the presentinvention, players may be allowed to select chips from their ChipPalette and place bets therewith up to their available balance or creditlimit.

FIG. 4A shows a display 402 of a conventional multi-line slot machineand shows that betting opportunities are conventionally limited tospreading all of one's bets evenly across pay lines. As shown, pay lines404, 406, 408 and 412 are losing bets, whereas payline 410 is a winningpayline. FIG. 4B shows a display 414 of a Chip-Based slot machineaccording to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown,Chip-Based slot machines according to embodiments of the presentinvention enable the player to skip betting on some pay lines and/or toweigh (e.g., bet different amounts) one or more pay lines differentlythan one or more other pay lines. That is, the player may bet differentamounts on one or more selected pay lines than on other or remaining paylines. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4B, the player has not placedbets on pay lines 416, 420 or 424. Moreover, the player has used theChip Palette to place a $1 bet on payline 418 and a $10 bet on payline422. Collectively, FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate that while conventionalslot machines only allow bets to be spread evenly across all pay lines,embodiments of the present invention enable players the flexibility torefrain from betting on some pay lines and to freely select the size oftheir bets on other pay lines.

FIG. 5 shows a conventional multi-line slot machine display andillustrates the concept that, on such machines, near-winning pay lines(such as shown at 506, which would be a winning payline but for thepresence of the orange symbol at 508) generate no greater reward,excitement, or betting opportunities than do clearly-losing pay lines(such as shown at 502 and 504). In such gaming machines, a losingpayline is just that, a losing payline, and can never become otherwise.

In contrast, embodiments of the present invention heighten the player'srewards and excitement by enabling the player to buy another spin on oneor more reels that display symbols that the player does not like. Inpractice, the player may use this feature, for example, to “buy” anothershot at a near winning (but currently losing) payline. As shown, FIG. 6shows a display 604 showing three losing pay lines, as shown atreference numerals 606, 608 and 610. Of these pay lines 606 and 608 areclearly losing pay lines, in that no more than two symbols match(although that need not be the criterion for a clearly losing payline).Payline 610, on the other hand, although still a losing payline, mayalso be characterized as “nearly winning,” as it would be a winningpayline if the orange symbol 612 were to be replaced with the cherriessymbol. Embodiments of the present invention afford the player theopportunity to bet that a re-spin of a reel that currently displays anunwanted symbol will result in a winning payline. That is, the playermay bet (in the example of FIG. 6, $1) that a re-spin of the reel 612currently displaying the orange symbol will result in that reeldisplaying the cherries symbol, thereby transforming a previously losingpayline into a winning one. To do so, the player may select a Re-SpinChip 602 (which may be incorporated in a Chip Palette according toembodiments of the present invention) and place that Re-Spin Chip ontothe reel 612 within the payline 610. In effect, after a nearlysuccessful spin, the player may elect to buy new symbols by placing aRe-Spin Chip on a reel or reels that he or she wishes to re-spin.Alternatively or in addition to the above, the player may purchase a“Hold-Down Chip” and place such a Hold-Down Chip on a reel that he orshe wishes to hold-down (while the other reels spin or re-spin). TheChip Palette may dynamically change during game play to offer the playerthe appropriate or available chips based on contextual informationrelative to the state of the game. That is, the Chip Palette may offerone or more Re-Spin and/or Hold-Down Chips of selected denominationsonly after the player has spun the reels and the winning or losing stateof the pay lines has been determined.

As shown in FIG. 6, after a Re-Spin Chip 602 is selected from the ChipPalette and placed on reel 612, the player may hit a Bet button 614 orperform some equivalent action, to cause the re-spin of reel 612 (allother reels remaining static). As shown at 618, in this example, theplayer's bet and re-spin of reel 612 has paid off, as the re-spin causedthe hoped-for symbol (the orange symbol, in this case) to appear, andthe previously losing payline 610 is now a winning payline. FIG. 6 showsthe manner in which a player, playing on a Chip-Based Machine accordingto an embodiment of the present invention, may buy an opportunity toredraw certain symbols in an attempt to form winning pay lines. Incontrast with the conventional approach shown in FIG. 6, embodiments ofthe present invention heighten the player's anticipation and potentialrewards by affording them the ability to take another shot at a paylinethat is nearly winning. It is understood that the paytables and/or oddsmay be changed for the case wherein a re-spin and/or a hold-down of aselected payline or pay lines has occurred, subject to applicable gamingregulations. For example, the odds of a single selected symbol appearingafter a re-spin may be preset to equal the odds of achieving a winningpayline (e.g., five cherries, in this case) had all of the reels beenre-spun. However, other implementations are possible, subject toapplicable laws and gaming regulations.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the present invention. As shown, theChip Palette may include a “Nudge” Chip, as shown at 702. As shown, thedisplay 704 of the present Chip-Based gaming machine reveals that thejust concluded game play resulted in three losing pay lines 706, 708 and710, of which payline 710 may be considered to be nearly winning.According to an embodiment of the present invention, the player mayplace one or more bets using one or more Nudge Chips 702, which grantsthe player the opportunity to (nudge the reels to) move symbols up anddown or between reels. For example, the player may place a Nudge Chip702 on a selected column of reels, in the hopes that the effect of thenudge cause the cherries symbol to drop into the third payline 710, assuggested by the arrow 714, to thereby transform an initially loosingpayline into a winning one. FIG. 7 illustrates how a player playing on aChip-Based gaming machine may buy the opportunity to move an adjacentsymbol or symbols into a payline or pay lines to form a winning paylineor pay lines. According to an embodiment of the present invention,placing and releasing a Nudge Chip on a payline or column of pay linesmay have the immediate effect of nudging the affected reels, withoutrequiring the player to push a “bet” button. Of course, otherimplementation details are possible.

FIG. 8 illustrates how betting is typically handled in conventionalvideo poker games, such as shown at 802. In such games, every wager aplayer makes is divided across all reward-generating hands such thatplayers are not able to increase their wager on making a particular handwithout increasing their wagers evenly across all reward-generatinghands. Indeed, conventional betting methods for Video Poker spread betsevenly across a standard pay table such that a small percentage of eachplayer's wager is applied to every possible reward generating hand.

FIG. 9 illustrates how betting may be enhanced in a Chip-Based videopoker game according to an embodiment of the present invention. InChip-Based gaming machines (such as Video Poker gaming machines, forexample), players may place a betting chip (selected from a Chip Palette102, for example) on a particular hand prior to the deal, therebyincreasing the reward structure for achieving that hand. Therefore, theChip Based gaming machines grant players the flexibility to alter theirwager on making specific hands and thus affect the game's pay table. Asshown in FIG. 9, a Chip Palette 102 may be provided that enables theplayer to place a betting chip (in this case, a $5 bet) on a specific,player-selected hand (in this case, the Straight 902), thereby affectingthe payout to the player should the player be dealt that hand. Note thatthe player may bet different amounts on some hands and/or place no betson other hands. Note also that the Chip Palette 102 need not berepresented at all, or may be differently represented than shown in FIG.9. Alternatively still, its functionality may be incorporated within thegame, without explicitly manifesting its presence on the game display.Moreover, versions Re-Spin and Hold-Down Chips (or variations thereof)may also be used in Video Poker and similar games, to enable the playerthe ability to buy a re-deal of a specific card or cards, in a mannersimilar to that described and shown relative to FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 depicts a cutting edge game of chance that makes use ofChip-Based Gaming according to yet another embodiment of the presentinvention. As show, a Chip Palette 1002 may display at an opportune timeduring game play to allow players to bet on onscreen features andevents. Such features and events may appear and occur during game playof most any game of chance or during game play in a multi-act styleelectronic game, as disclosed in previously incorporated provisionalpatent application Ser. No. 60/738,812. As shown, the user may decide towager on the occurrence of a specific event of a plurality of events1004 that may or may not randomly occur during later game play. In theillustrative example shown in FIG. 10, the player wagers that a tornado1006 will occur and disrupt the railroad 1008. If such a tornadoactually occurs during later game play, as shown in FIG. 10, the playerwill be rewarded according to his or her wager (in this case, a $1 bet)and the appropriate pay table. As electronic games of chance continue toevolve, the Chip-Based Gaming model disclosed herein will continue togrant the player maximum wagering flexibility. As the narrative of gamesof chances evolves from a single occurrence or premise to aplayer-directed script-based or interactive gaming experience, theopportunities to bet on selected events, features, characters and thelike will increase.

While the foregoing detailed description has described severalembodiments of this invention, it is to be understood that the abovedescription is illustrative only and not limiting of the disclosedinvention. For example, the Chip Palette according to embodiments of thepresent invention may be configured such as to appear and disappearduring game play according to, for example, the availability within thegame, of events or occurrences on which the player is authorized toplace bets, the sophistication of the player or the desired complexityof game play. Occasionally, the Chip Palette may include a “Comp Chip.”That is, to reward persistent players, a free chip of a selecteddenomination may be provided within the Chip Palette to enable theplayer to place a bet at no expense. Indeed, a number of modificationswill no doubt occur to persons of skill in this art. All suchmodifications, however, should be deemed to fall within the scope of thepresent invention.

1. A method of wagering within an electronic game of chance that isconfigured to display a plurality of wagering opportunities, the methodcomprising the steps of: displaying betting chips of differingpredetermined denominations; accepting, from a player of the game ofchance, a selection of at least one of the displayed betting chips, andenabling the player to apply the selected at least one of the bettingchips to at least one of the plurality of displayed wageringopportunities to complete a wager.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising a step of grouping the displayed betting chips together bydenomination to form a chip palette.
 3. The method of claim 1, whereinthe accepting step is carried out by detecting when a player touches theselected at least one of the displayed betting chips.
 4. The method ofclaim 3, wherein the enabling step is carried out by enabling the playerto touch the at least one of the plurality of displayed wageringopportunities to associate the selected at least one of the displayedgaming chips with the touched at least one of the plurality of displayedwagering opportunities.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayedplurality of wagering opportunities includes pay lines on a displayedmulti-line slot machine and wherein the enabling step enables the playerto apply the selected at least one of the betting chips to selected onesof the pay lines of the displayed multi-line slot machine.
 6. The methodof claim 1, wherein the displayed plurality of wagering opportunitiesincludes reward generating hands in a displayed electronic poker game,and wherein the enabling step enables the player to apply the selectedat least one of the betting chips to selected ones of the rewardgenerating hands of the displayed electronic poker game.
 7. The methodof claim 1, wherein the displayed plurality of wagering opportunitiesincludes representations of events that may occur in the future withinthe electronic game of chance.
 8. A method of enabling a player to playan electronic game of chance, the electronic game of chance beingconfigured to display a symbol layout that includes a plurality ofsymbols, the method comprising the steps of: displaying a plurality ofbetting chips of predetermined denominations to form a displayed chippalette; enabling the player to select at least one betting chip of thedisplayed chip palette; enabling the player to apply at least one of theselected betting chips to at least one selected symbol of the displayedsymbol layout; manipulating the displayed symbol layout; displaying themanipulated symbol layout; rewarding the player if the displayedmanipulated symbol layout includes a reward-generating outcome.
 9. Themethod of claim 8, wherein the symbol layout manipulating step includeschanging a previous random placement of the symbols in the displayedsymbol layout.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the manipulating stepincludes keeping at least one player selected symbol unchanged andmanipulating at least one remaining symbol of the symbol layout.
 11. Themethod of claim 9, wherein the chip palette includes a re-spin bettingchip, the electronic game of chance includes a slot machine having aplurality of reels and wherein the method further includes a step ofenabling the player to place the re-spin betting chip on a selectedreel, the re-spin betting chip affording the player an opportunity tore-spin all the symbols on the selected reel.
 12. The method of claim 9,wherein the chip palette includes a hold-down betting chip, theelectronic game of chance includes a slot machine having a plurality ofreels and wherein the method further includes a step of enabling theplayer to place the hold-down chip on at least one selected reel, thehold-down chip affording the player an opportunity to hold-down all thesymbols on the selected reel and to re-spin the symbols on all otherreels.
 13. The method of claim 9, wherein the manipulating step includesmoving one or more symbols within a reel.
 14. The method of claim 9,wherein the chip palette includes a nudge chip, the electronic game ofchance includes a slot machine having a plurality of reels and whereinthe method further includes a step of enabling the player to place thenudge chip on a selected reel, the nudge chip affording the player anopportunity to move any symbol up or down one position within its reel.15. The method of claim 8, wherein the symbol layout is a result of arandom deal in an electronic poker game.
 16. The method of claim 15,wherein the manipulating step includes holding one or more cards afteran initial draw and performing an additional draw.
 17. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the applied betting chips are displayed until it isdetermined whether the player is rewarded.
 18. A method of enabling aplayer to place wagers in an electronic game of chance, comprising thesteps of: providing and displaying a palette of betting chips, thepalette of betting chips including a plurality of individuallyplayer-selectable betting chips of a plurality of differentpredetermined denominations; accepting from a player a first selectionof a first betting chip from the palette of betting chips, the firstbetting chip being of a first denomination of the plurality of differentdenominations; accepting from the player a first wager on a futureoccurrence of a first event in the game of chance using the selectedfirst betting chip of the first denomination; accepting from the playera second selection of a second betting chip from the palette of bettingchips, the second betting chip being of a second denomination of theplurality of different denominations that is different from the firstdenomination; accepting from the player a second wager on a futureoccurrence of a second event in the game of chance using the selectedsecond betting chip of the second denomination; determining an outcomeof the game of chance, and rewarding the player according to the firstwager if the determined outcome includes the first event and rewardingthe player according to the second wager if the determined outcomeincludes the second event.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the gameof chance include a multi-line slot machine having a plurality of reelseach having a plurality of symbols thereon that collectively define aplurality of paylines and wherein the first and second wager acceptingsteps include accepting different wagers on different ones of theplurality of paylines of the slot machine.
 20. The method of claim 19,wherein the palette of betting chips includes a player-selectablebetting chip that is configured to keep a selected one of the pluralityof symbols unchanged during the outcome determining step.
 21. The methodof claim 19, wherein the palette of betting chips includes aplayer-selectable betting chip that is configured to enable the playerto re-spin a selected one of the plurality of reels while others of theplurality of reels remain stationary during the outcome determiningstep.
 22. The method of claim 19, wherein the palette of betting chipsincludes a player-selectable betting chip that is configured tohold-down all the symbols on a selected one of the plurality of reelsstationary and to re-spin the symbols on all other reels during theoutcome determining step.
 23. The method of claim 19, wherein thepalette of betting chips includes a player-selectable betting chip thatis configured to move any symbol up or down one position within its reelduring the outcome determining step.
 24. The method of claim 18, whereinthe game of chance is electronic poker and wherein the outcomedetermining step includes a random deal.
 25. The method of claim 18,further comprising the step of dynamically configuring the palette ofbetting chips in the providing and displaying step depending upon thegame of chance and a state of game play.
 26. The method of claim 18,wherein the first and second occurrences in the first and second wageraccepting steps include possible future occurrences within a scriptednarrative-based game of chance.
 27. A method of wagering in anelectronic game of chance, comprising the steps of: selecting a firstbetting chip from a displayed palette of betting chips, the firstbetting chip being of a first denomination of the plurality of differentdenominations; placing a first wager on a future occurrence of a firstevent in the game of chance using the selected first betting chip of thefirst denomination; selecting a second betting chip from the palette ofbetting chips, the second betting chip being of a second denomination ofthe plurality of different denominations that is different from thefirst denomination; placing a second wager on a future occurrence of asecond event in the game of chance using the selected second bettingchip of the second denomination; causing an outcome of the game ofchance to be determined, and receiving a first reward according to thefirst wager if the determined outcome includes the first event andreceiving a second reward according to the second wager if thedetermined outcome includes the second event.
 28. The method of claim27, wherein the game of chance include a multi-line slot machine havinga plurality of reels each having a plurality of symbols thereon thatcollectively define a plurality of paylines and wherein the first andsecond wager placing steps include placing different wagers on differentones of the plurality of paylines of the slot machine.
 29. The method ofclaim 27, wherein the palette of betting chips includes aplayer-selectable hold-down betting chip that is configured to keep aselected one of the plurality of symbols unchanged when the outcome ofthe electronic game of chance is determined and wherein the selectedfirst betting chip in the first placing step is the hold-down bettingchip.
 30. The method of claim 27, wherein the palette of betting chipsincludes a player-selectable re-spin betting chip that is configured toenable the player to re-spin a selected one of the plurality of reelswhile others of the plurality of reels remain stationary when theoutcome of the electronic game of chance is determined and wherein theselected first betting chip in the first placing step is the re-spinbetting chip.
 31. The method of claim 27, wherein the palette of bettingchips includes a player-selectable nudge betting chip that is configuredto move any symbol up or down one position within its reel when theoutcome of the electronic game of chance is determined and wherein theselected first betting chip in the first placing step is the nudgebetting chip.
 32. The method of claim 27, wherein the game of chance iselectronic poker and wherein the outcome determining step includes arandom deal.
 33. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step ofdynamically configuring the palette of betting chips in the providingand displaying step depending upon the game of chance and a state ofgame play.
 34. The method of claim 27, wherein the first and secondoccurrences in the first and second wager accepting steps includepossible future occurrences within a scripted narrative-based game ofchance.